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Why “Asiatique The Riverfront” has banned me from their Facebook Page

As many of you know, I am a full time travel blogger here in Thailand. It is part of my job to look for new tourist attractions and to help promote them to travellers from around the world. I do this on my network of blogs as well as on social media. I have been promoting Asiatique The Riverfront in Bangkok even before it was opened to the public. I have recommended it to many people. Now it looks like I can no longer help promote Asiatique. Not because I don’t like them any more. It is because they decided to block me from their Facebook Page. Yes, you heard right, Asiatique decided to block one of their most frequent promoters among the foreign community.

Today was the grand opening for Asiatique’s Ferris wheel which has been dubbed Asiatique SKY. If you have been following my blogs you would know that I have been promoting Asiatique’s new 60 meter high Ferris wheel for a while now. I think so far I have been the only person promoting the big wheel in English. I have also tweeted about it and so I am sure that there are quite a few people who were eager to give it a go. So, why did Asiatique decide to block me from their Facebook page? The reason is simple. I questioned the reasoning behind their decision to charge foreigners more than Thais to go on the wheel. After all, the exact same Ferris wheel was also built in Paris and the French don’t charge extra for foreigners.

It all started the other day on their Facebook page when they wrote in Thai: เด็ก 150 บาท, ผู้ใหญ่ 200 บาท, ชาวต่างชาติ 250 บาท. This basically translates as 150 Baht for children, 200 Baht for adults and 250 Baht for foreigners. I know other attractions have dual pricing, but this is now the 21st Century and I was really hoping that Asiatique would lead the way. What is more strange is that we are just talking about an extra 50 Baht. For a measly 50 Baht they decided to risk the displeasure of foreigners? Anyway, I translated the prices into English on their Facebook page and asked why they were charging foreigners more. Next thing I knew, both Thais and foreigners were calling for a boycott. That is when my comments were deleted and I was blocked from their Facebook page.

I will still try and promote new events and attractions at Asiatique as that is my job. But, as I am now blocked from Asiatique, it might not be so easy for me to help them any more.

3rd UPDATE: At first Asiatique was proud to promote the big wheel. Then, once people started talking about boycotting Asiatique, they began to distance themselves by saying that the wheel is really owned by a “farang”. (For those who don’t know, that is a white-faced foreigner.) Now they are removing all pictures from their Facebook front page that show images of the big wheel. Isn’t that like burying your head in the sand & hoping that the problem will go away?

2nd UPDATE: There are now 100’s of negative comments all over Asiatique’s Facebook page. Many people calling for a boycott.

1st UPDATE: Since I posted this blog, here are a few comments on their Facebook page:

Sean Snider: Wow, dual pricing from a business that should be leading Thailand into the 21st century. I was considering coming to check out Asiatique, but no more, as long as foreigners are discriminated against. Furthermore, I will discourage others from patronizing your business until your policy changes.

Arend Van Dorp: I hear that you are charging Thai and foreigners different prices. And when they complain on your page you delete and block their comments. That will only get you more bad publicity!!! Learn to treat people equally!!!

Massimo Scozzaro: i agree too…as long as you use double standard we will not visit your center, pls remove the double price

Greg Jorgensen: Complaining about dual pricing usually has very little effect on the small-minded, but agree with the above – best to just actively discourage visiting friends from going, as I’ve always done.

Brian Taff Jenkins: Looks like you have upset a few people with your dual pricing and deleting posts. Unfortunately a lot of the people you have upset have a big voice on the Internet. You have lost my business and that of the people I would normally reccomend to go there too

106 Responses to Why “Asiatique The Riverfront” has banned me from their Facebook Page

Camille & Win,
Of course it’s not a matter of money but principle. In principle, any establishment(be it private or government-owned)has the right to charge differently; just like every individual has the right to comment(on anywhere or anyone) or choose to patronise or not to patronise. Ultimately, no one individual will have any rights to deprive the locals of their rights or benefits. Having said that, I respect the opinions of any individual to support or not to support Asiatique(on their own personal grounds) but I hope some foreigners don’t tarnish the tourism industry of Thailand. They certainly don’t represent the whole “farangs community”.

dear stanley, wow you must be very old, congradulation for becoem 120 years already, because you must be born in the 19th century already! nobody has the right to charge differently in reason of relegion, of nationality, education, skin color, physical features, gender,
lineage or simalar! you can offer special rates based on age, education (students), work, turn over and so on, but then never based on thai nationality. and may be you missunderstood the last 100 years of development in democratic states all over the world. what you make in you house in private it is your thing, but if you start make bussiness, than you have to accept the law and the constitution and thailand has like every democratic country a constitution. you not argue about 50 bath because may be you never will go to this Asiatique same me, but what you would say if the police stop you because you walk on red trafic ligths over the street or you do not wear helmet on bike and instead of 400 bath the will charge you 4000 bath because 400 bath is only for local. i guess you would be the first who would claim this and post your expierence. If somebody want to make bussines then he has to do this under the law and make his calculation on economic base and not by overcharging othe people. And I hope you do not represent the farang comunity in any Asian state. And if you realy have to much money that you not care if you pay all the time overprices there are many social institutions even in thailand which wold be very glad to get your donation. but I guess this kind of support you dont know

Richard,
Isnt Thailand great ? Despite what you think of the Thais or Thailand, you and I can’t live without her
Let’s not think selfish. Think not just for ourselves; but all the Thais and foreigners who will benefit from dual pricing.

Is Thailand great? No, I dont think so. Has some good points, but many bad ones and seems to value money over doing whats right and safety. Just look how hard it is proving at the moment to get Thailand to abolish the cruel and barbaric illegal ivory trade. And they have the nerve to call Elephants their national animal. What a joke.

As for living without her, speak for yourself. I could quite easily never set foot on Thai soil ever again.

But you carry on paying 20 times what everyone else pays for good and services in Thailand. I’m sure that attitude makes you genuinely loved and respected. As for the rest of us, we’ll keep on paying the same as anyone else regardless of their nationality, or boycott establishments that choose to discriminate instead. Their loss.

Richard,
I mean your blog. Even if you dont set foot on Thailand, the fact that you have to carry on your blog meant you needed her more than she needed you.
On the elephant part, I think some people are making a mole hole out of it. Have you ever wonder the elephants are having a better living condition now and if given a choice, they may still opt for the current condition rather than surviving in the wild facing extinction.
Move on, think of the whole community instead of personal. Dual pricing is only fair to the locals. They deserved to pay less; just like others have the rights not to pay at all.

Richard & Camille,
I don’t entertain silly messages or get off-topic. According to your last 2 questions, I should reply you by asking, “So according to you cam, I should not be eating chicken or even vegetables ?” Isn’t it silly ? Let’s stick to the dual-pricing topic if you wish.

Richard (not Barrow)
As I mentioned earlier, I dont wish to answer unnecessary or silly messages but just to satisfy you….
Put it this way, I will not care whether the Thais pay 20 times cheaper than me for chicken or vegetables. I will only care for what I pay, not what the locals pay. Even if the locals get chicken and vegetables free dont give us the same rights to have the same. Just like the Canadians get cheap health and medical care, must they give the same to foreigners ?
So foreigners please dont tarnish the image of other foreigners just because of a small unfair-thinking minoritys. The Thais never force or trick us to visit their country and those who did(visited) never complained of being overcharged for chicken or vegetables, so please dont make up any lies or poor examples over them.

You’ve missed the point again Stanley. I never said that people have complained about being overcharged for chicken or vegetables. I said that you apparantly wouldnt mind being charged 20 times what a Thai person would pay for chicken or vegetables based on this comment you made on the 10th of March

~~~I dont see why we as foreigners should feel jealous just because locals are charged cheaper. I wont complain even if it is 20 times more~~~

So you carry on happily paying 20 times more than people with Thai passports for everything you purchase in Thailand. The rest of us will pay exactly the same or boycott the establishments that openly discriminate.

Got it now? See Stanley old chap, there were no lies, just the confusion in your head.

Richard,
I dont know how old you are but I suspect you are not even 15. How could you missed my point and misquote me ? I mentioned I dont care even if 20 times more on the wheel, not on food; and as long as I am not forced to pay for it. Grow up Richard, and dont tarnish the image of the original blogger here.

Stanley, why would you be ok to pay 20 times the amount a Thai pays to go on the wheel? Thats 5000 baht? Tell, me am I still misquoting you?

Also, while we are on your quotes, why are you happy to pay 5000 baht for the wheel but not prepared to pay more for food? After all if you are ok with dual pricing then you should be ok with it for all goods and services. After all according to you (and please do let me know if I am misquoting you)

~~~I still don’t understand why sone people cannot accept dual pricing. I think it is fair that locals pay less because it is their country.~~~

So by stating this you would be happy to pay dual pricing for chicken and vegetables too. Correct?

I’m not a child and I’m not tarnishing anyone’s image as its only you that got confused by the presence of two people with the same first name.

Having said that, I must clarify I will be happy to pay 20 times more than the locals if for example, they reduce the price of 1.5l water at 7-11 to 0.6 bahts or a bowl of noodles to 2 baht for locals; as long as they dont increase my price. Hope a few foreigners dont let just a little selfishness in their head tarnish the image of all foreigners.

Stan, Indirectly you’re saying that you don’t agree with dual pricing in Thailand, since you agree only if it isn’t costing you anything.
Dual pricing in Thailand is the opposite as you stated, not the Thai prices go down, the prices for Westerners go up, something you oppose to, as you stated in earlier message.

Richard,
Do you realise your mistake ? Did I said I dont me mind paying 5000 bahts ? Now dont blame me for thinking you are a child if you cant understand my messages. In fact, you actually behaved like one. Btw, you can call me a 80 year old man and I cant call you a child ? Grow up.

Cam,
Why must you think that prices for westerners go up and not prices for locals go down ? I neither meant I agree on dual pricing or not. It depends on situation but one thing is sure, dual pricing provides flexibility. In this sense, I agree with dual pricing if you must force me into one. If you see it positively, it can prevents from too many people going into it if it is cheaper for everyone. Didnt some tourists complain of some places being too touristy ? Dual pricing is a good step. Btw, you have not let me know if you understand or missed to read my “canada healthcare expenses” part. Try to understand and your mind will be broaden.

I am Thai and i hate the dual pricing policy very much. It makes me feel low and the country is not develop.

For the gov places and wats which Thais can walk in free is understandable about them using our tax money and if it not open for foreigners we have right to visit for free which why expats with work permit who pay tax can get in free too but when private business such as Asiatique do this i feel unfair for the foreigners and pity for the owner indeed. Good to hear they adjust the price to equal now even the Mekhong sign annoy me.